Madam, – I feel the angle presented on Québec (Emigration Nations, Life & Culture, January 10th) was not well balanced and that it deserved to be countered with a positive story from here.
I came here first in 2004 to study for my Master’s in peatland restoration. Having finished that, I went back to Ireland for three years and then returned here in September 2009. The point of view offered in the article gives the impression that Quebecers are xenophobes. To say that Quebecers “fear outsiders” (as one interviewee said) is grossly misleading.
Québec city held its first St Patrick’s Day parade in over 75 years last year, and it was such a success that it will be an annual fixture of the city. Our Gaelic football team, made up principally of Quebecers and French, also participated in the parade. Friends of mine have participated in a yearly German market which attracts thousands of people since it started.
These are examples of the diversity here. So if you are a foreigner, especially Irish, you have nothing to fear here in Québec.
Yes, there are laws in Québec to protect their language, and rightly so. If only the previous governments of Ireland had taken such an approach I would be writing to you as gaeilge and not in English. While it is true that it is difficult to get work in Québec if you don't speak French, it is not impossible. Admittedly, it took me eight months to get a job in environmental-related work here, but given my experience in Ireland, this is not long. It helped that I speak fluent French (having arrived initially with nothing more than " Oui, non, je mange du bacon") and it is understandably a necessity to be able to communicate with your co-workers.
Before I started working in the environmental sector here I worked in Irish pubs, got offers from other purely Quebecer pubs and restaurants, and from a fish shop. To say it is impossible to get the foot in the door is a gross overstatement. If anything, I found it easier to get casual work here than at home. I now have two jobs, one for an environmental NGO, and the other as a consultant to the ministry for sustainable development, environment and parks for the provincial government of Québec.
Yes, it would help to have a job organised before coming to Québec, but doesn't that go for any destination? I would strongly recommend Québec to someone looking for the " Oooh la la of North America". The people here have been nothing but welcoming and often are very proud to tell me about their Irish ancestry (30 per cent of Quebecers claim this).
We Irish aren’t very numerous in Québec city, but it has never been a problem for me. The city isn’t that big, and given a few weeks it’s highly probable that I would meet any newly arrived Irish immigrants here. I’m sure I could help point people in the right direction to get a job here and if I couldn’t help, then I’m sure my friends who come from here would be more than happy to help them out, as they helped me. – Is mise,
Madam, – Emigration Nations (Life & Culture January 11th) referred to the opportunity for young Irish people to spend up to a year in New Zealand under the Working Holiday Visa scheme.
The application and approval process for this WHV is very simple and quick. Applications can be made on www.immigration.govt.nz, following the links to the Irish WHV scheme. – Yours, etc,